This invention generally relates to small animal traps and particularly to traps having a enclosure wherein the animal is trapped while the mechanism for setting the trap is available from outside the enclosure.
There have been and still are many designs of small animal traps available. Some are designed solely to kill the animal, other to trap it and others to do either. Almost all use a trigger which the animal steps on or nuzzles to release a spring loaded member.
In order to carry out its function the trapping or killing mechanism must have a powerful driving spring. However, a strong spring makes the trap difficult and often dangerous to set. Also, in prior designs inadvertent springing of the trap may injure the user or household pets. Further, the spring often subjects the triggering mechanism to excessive force making the trap hard to spring thus reducing its sensitivity.
The object of the present invention is provision of a trap that avoids the foregoing problems. The invention comprises an enclosed capture chamber containing a plunger that may kill or merely trap the rodent means mounting the plunger for vertical movement, a spring and latch mechanism to load the trap and a trigger to release it.
A further object is provision of mechanism whereby the entire loading and setting operation is done outside the enclosure containing the plunger.
The mechanism is designed so that a heavy spring force may be stored in the loaded trap yet is sensitive so that it can be latched and released with a very light touch.
The trap comprises an enclosure, usually an elongated rectangular housing with at least one opening for a rodent, and slots at or adjacent the top and bottom of one sidewall. A plunger is fitted inside the enclosure generally parallel to the bottom. The plunger has an arm extending from the upper face thereof upwardly through the slot in top of the enclosure. A spring ia connected between the enclosure and the arm of the plunger and is arranged to resist the upward movement of the plunger within the enclosure. As a result, the spring is primed to urge the plunger downward to strike or, alternatively, to capture the animal when the mechanism is triggered.
A specific mechanism is provided enabling latching the trap by use of only very light pressure. Thus, even though high spring forces may be applied to the plunger the mechanism is arranged so that plunger may be cocked and the trap moved about from outside the enclosure without one's hands ever being exposed to the triggering pedal or the dangerous plunger.
The trap is designed for quick disassembly and reassembly for adapting it to use as a lethal trap or a mere capture trap.
In order that the invention may be more readily understood and carried into effect, reference is made to the accompanying drawings and description thereof which are offered by way of example only and not in limitation of the invention the scope of which is defined by the appended claims and equivalents embraced therein rather than any mere description.